A new bill would shrink the number of government workers by 10% by 2015. For every three retiring federal workers, the government would only be allowed to hire one replacement.

The measure would would save an estimated $127.5 billion over 10 years if adopted, according to Reps. Darrell Issa of California, Dennis Ross of Florida and Jason Chaffetz of Utah, the bill's sponsors.

"Private sector job creators and families in my district have learned to do more with less," Chaffetz said in statement. "So should the federal government."

The idea is not exactly a new one. President Obama's own fiscal commission included the basic plan in its final report, but would reduce the roughly 2 million member workforce at a less aggressive rate.

On Monday, National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen Kelley called the bill "yet another attack on the federal workforce."

The plan is "a short-sighted proposal that would only undermine the federal government's ability to deliver vital services, shift work to more costly, less effective private contractors and endanger public health and safety," Kelley said in a statement.